by K. J. Dahlen
“Would Glen or Sean have known that?”
“I’m sure they did,” Harper reluctantly agreed.
Carla opened her eyes and groaned. When she saw Michael, she tried to whisper something, but no sound came out of her mouth.
He bent toward her and Carla tried again.
Still looking toward her he whispered, “Are you sure about that?”
Carla tried to nod her head but the slight movement hurt and she groaned as tears slipped down her face.
Michael relayed what Carla whispered, “She said the attack came from within the office. It was Jasmine Cole who murdered Glen and Sean and came after her. Jasmine told her that Jethro was coming here to kill Michael.”
“Who the hell is Jethro?” Kenn asked.
Michael sighed. “I think he’s the mystery man at the airport. Phoebe saw his picture last night and told me he was the same man that came into the restaurant she and Willow worked at over a week ago. She said Willow saw the tattoo on his wrist and freaked out.” Looking down at Carla, he told Kenn, “Apparently, they didn’t expect her to survive or they wouldn’t have told her their plans.”
“Leaving her where they did, they didn’t expect anyone to find her until it was too late,” Kenn stated. “It was lucky your dog found her at all.”
Michael glanced at Snicker and nodded. “I trained him in police behavior methods. He picked up on the smell of the blood.”
They all heard the sirens of the ambulance and the next few minutes were chaos as the EMT’s worked on Carla. When they had her stabilized and transported her to the hospital. Before they finished, Kenn and Harper showed up. Harper then ended up riding to the hospital with Carla.
“Where are you going to go now? You can’t stay here,” Kenn urged.
Michael stared at him for a moment then told him, “I have a place in mind. It’s a place me and Davey Little Wolf set up. I haven’t been there in years and since Davey was killed. I’m not sure anyone else has either.”
“I remember him.” Kenn shook his head. “He was a good kid and a fine agent. Is this place safe?”
“Safer than your office. That’s one of its charms. No one else in the world knows about this place.”
“Let’s go then, we don’t have much time and we have work to do. We can pick Phoebe up on the way over.”
An hour later, they were on the main highway through the city. Michael drove toward the Navy yard and just before he got on base, he turned left and continued toward the river. He pulled up to one of the warehouses and got out of the car. When he pulled the huge door open, he motioned for Kenn to drive the car inside. Michael checked out the neighborhood before he pulled the big door shut. Setting the alarm code, he turned to view the warehouse. It should have been covered in dust and cobwebs but it wasn’t. He drew his gun and began walking the perimeter of the building. When he got to the car, he motioned for Kenn, Phoebe and Judson to stay inside.
Michael searched the room quickly then went over it a second time. The second go over revealed to him everything in the room was ready. There was a workbench with three computers and a big screen television mounted on the wall.
He paused a moment to check the filing cabinets against the south wall. They were all locked and it seemed no one had tried to break into them. He continued his circle and when he got back to the car, he holstered his weapon and motioned for the others to join him.
Kenn got out of the car. “I thought you said no one knew about this place?”
“No one is supposed to,” Michael replied.
“No one else does,” a voice called out from the right of where Michael was standing.
Michael reached for his weapon and turned all at the same time. When he saw Micah standing there with his arms held out in surrender stance, he lowered his weapon. “What are you doing here?”
Micah shrugged. “After Davey died, I sort of moved in here. At first, it was to be close to my son but over the years, living here has become a habit.”
Michael shrugged. “Hey man, you got the right. This place belongs to you more than it does me.” He turned to Kenn, Phoebe and Judson to introduce them, “Kenn, Judson, Phoebe this is Micah Little Wolf. Micah, this is my old boss, Kenn Stokes and my old partner Judson and this is Phoebe. She got caught up in the case by mistake.”
Micah nodded and glanced back to Michael. “Everything is up and running and the fridge is fully stocked. The security is set and there are outside cameras all around the outside of the building.”
“Thanks,” Michael embraced him then stepped back.
Micah turned and walked back through the door at the far end of the warehouse.
“Well, this is more than a little creepy,” Kenn muttered.
“No, it isn’t,” Michael replied. “I knew Davey’s death hit him hard but I didn’t know how hard.”
“Who is Davey?” Phoebe asked.
“Davey Little Wolf was my best friend for a number of years. We went through Desert Storm together then we joined Homeland together. Davey died on a mission five and a half years ago. We really don’t know what he was working on, but maybe when this is over, I’ll look into his death.” He stared at the doorway where Micah just went through. “I owe it to him.”
They unpacked the car and got things set up.
Then Michael turned on the computer system and got his own computer set up. Then he ran the name Jethro and a face popped up on his screen. It was the same man at the airport. The same man Phoebe told him about in Chicago. “Son of a bitch,” he swore under his breath and turned the screen so Kenn and Judson could see the face of the hit man he was looking for. He called out to Phoebe. When she joined him he asked her again, “Are you sure this is the man from the diner?”
She nodded. “Yes, I remember him. He was very arrogant. Like I was there only for him when I had a room full of people to wait on.”
Michael reached for her hand and curled his fingers around hers. When he smiled at her Judson coughed in the background and broke the connection growing between them.
Kenn studied the photo. “What kind of program do you have on this machine?”
“This computer is linked to every police station in the nation,” Michael explained.
“Did Micah do this for you?” Judson asked.
“Yes, he did.”
“I’d like to know how he did all of this,” Kenn stated.
Michael stared back at the man and shook his head. “I don’t know and if I were you, I don’t think I’d press the issue. Micah is a very private man and he prefers to keep it that way.”
“What does the program have to say about Jethro?” Kenn asked.
“The first time anyone knew about him was his fifth hit. He was linked to the first five hits by his MO. Since then, he’s been linked to fourteen more hits but they haven’t been able to find him. It seems he’s very good at what he does.”
“If he’s so good at what he does, then how did he miss you twice so far?” Judson asked.
“That’s a good question,” Michael muttered. “Maybe the third time, he won’t.”
Phoebe stepped closer and put her hand on Michael’s shoulder, as she looked upset by this statement.
Chapter Twelve
“What else does your program say about Jethro?” Kenn asked.
Michael turned back to the readout. “It tells me that he usually works alone but has been linked to a woman. No one knows who she is but she is as dangerous as he is.”
“Is there a picture of the woman?” Kenn asked.
Michael tilted the computer toward him again and Kenn searched the photos. He could barely make out the woman’s face. “Damn, I can’t see her clear enough to say one way or the other who she is.”
“Well, we know a woman named Jasmine beat Carla within an inch if her life and then left her to die. That should give us a place to start.” He turned to Kenn. “Who is this Jasmine person?”
“Her name is Jasmine Cole and she works for the FBI,” Kenn ans
wered. “She and Sean came over from the FBI to assist us with identifying the Viper Crew. This was all before Judson went to recruit you.”
Michael typed in the name Jasmine Cole and waited for the program to do its job. Within minutes, he had more information on Jasmine. “How the hell did she get into the FBI?” he asked as he hit the print key. “Do they just let anyone in?” As they waited for the printout Michael stood and began to pace.
“Well, apparently infiltrators are getting into Homeland too,” Kenn stated. “So what is with this Jasmine woman?”
“Jasmine Elaine Cole may be linked to several aliases. Jessie Cantor, Jasmine Carmen, Jessie Cotton and Terri Colten, just to name a few,” Michael explained as he paced.
“What do the little stars next to each name mean?” Kenn asked.
Michael paused. “That this person is of interest in that many crimes.” He went back to the PC and clicked on the first star. “A seven year old case report came up that linked the name Jessie Cantor with the murder of a business man in Sun Valley, California. The murder was still an open case and there was a warrant out for Jessie. According to the report, Jessie was working as an assistant in the law office of Greg Warner. Soon after, he won a case involving Waylon Jeffries, he was found murdered in his office. When his assistant went missing, a warrant for her arrest was issued.”
“What do the other stars tell you?” Kenn asked.
Michael clicked on the second star and another police report popped up. “Jessie Cotton is wanted by the state of New York for being a person of interest in yet another murder. This one involved two deaths. A pawn shop owner and his wife were murdered during a sting for trafficking stolen weapons. A cache of weapons went missing at the same time the murders happened. The police reasonably thought Jessie took them with her after she murdered the store owner and his wife. The case is a cold one but it’s still open.”
“How long do these cases go back?” Kenn asked.
Michael clicked a key on his computer and the dates of the police reports came up. “They all happened in the last seven years.”
“That doesn’t make any sense. She’s only been an agent in the FBI for three years. How was this connection not found before?” Kenn asked.
“I have no idea.” Michael shrugged. “Anyone can make up a background, all you need is a computer.”
“Apparently, the FBI didn’t check too closely.”
“She would have made sure there was nothing to find,” Michael explained. “She’s been in the game long enough to know how to cover her tracks.”
“I’m going to have Jasmine picked up and brought to the office. I think it’s time we had a little chat.” Kenn reached for his cell phone and called in a team.
Michael pushed his chair away from the table and picked up his grab bag. He began pinning up the pictures and reports he had on the wall at Harper’s aunt’s house. When he came to the photo of Waylon Jefferies, he tapped it and turned to look at Kenn. “I knew I had heard the name Waylon Jefferies before. He’s one of the Viper Crew.”
“How long did you say this group has been around?” Kenn asked.
Michael shrugged. “The case that links Jasmine and Waylon together, happened seven years ago.” He went back to his computer and brought up the video Matthias had on his flash drive. He tapped the screen and turned to look at Kenn. “This video is only three years old.”
“That doesn’t tell us much then, does it?”
“On the contrary, it tells us this is a sleeper group and they are getting things in motion to complete their mission. The more we know about the group, the better chance we have of stopping them.”
“Well, I’m going to go talk to Jasmine,” Kenn said.
“You probably won’t get much out of her. She’s been in the game long enough to know how to work it.”
“Well, damn it, what do you want me to do?” Kenn looked frustrated.
“I want you to run down the players. I want you to find out if any of them have taken a flight or are going to take a flight in the last few weeks. We don’t have much time to figure this out. Use only people you know you can trust.”
“Okay,” Kenn said.
“And pick her up but don’t try and talk to her yet. Let her sit a while. Right now, all we have are suppositions, we can’t connect her to the plot yet, but we can take her out of the loop,” Michael turned to watch Kenn leave then began hitting the keys on his keyboard. He would start with Jasmine and see what he could find.
Half an hour later, he clicked on the name Terri Colten. She had three separate residences listed. Two were residential and one was a warehouse near the harbor. Michael sat and thought for a moment. An out of the way warehouse might be just what he was looking for. While he sat there, he heard Micah’s door open and his soft footsteps coming toward him. He turned and watched Micah viewing the photos and reports on the wall. He frowned when Micah hissed at the emblem of the Viper Crew.
Micah came over to where he was sitting and sat down beside him. Michael searched his face. “You seem troubled, my friend.”
Micah turned his head and nodded at the triangle with the Viper figure inside. “Are these the demons you hunt?”
“Yes, they are.” Michael continued to watch Micah for a moment. “We think we have uncovered what they want to do but we don’t know who they all are yet.”
Micah nodded his head and then turned to stare at the triangle again. “They murdered my son.”
Michael sat up in his chair. “How do you know that?”
“Soon after Davey died, I went on a Dream Quest. I had to know for myself that my son was okay. The Dream Quest allowed me to see and speak to my son over on the other side.”
Michael thought about what he was saying. There were many things about the Native Americans he didn’t know about. Micah and Davey were Sioux Indians and they believed in the old ways. “What did Davey tell you in this Dream Quest?”
“Davey told me you would understand about our ways,” Micah replied. “He told me he was okay with dying. His pain with living was gone now and his mother was there to take him over into the Spirit world.” Micah shook his head. “It’s been just the two of us for so long I almost forgot she would be there for him. Davey showed me the sign of the man that killed him. He drew a triangle with the reaper inside. He said to tell you he had uncovered evidence they would murder many people but they had much work to do first. He said you would find his research in the files.”
Michael couldn’t believe what Micah was saying. “Davey knew about the Viper Crew?”
Micah nodded. “He said he’d been on their trail for months. He told me he hadn’t told anyone what he was doing and that led to his death.”
“Did he tell you why he never told anyone he was searching for these people?”
“He didn’t have the proof of what they were doing, not yet anyway. He said no one would believe him without knowing what they were up to.” Micah paused then asked, “Do you believe him?”
“Yes, Micah, I do. These people had been planning something big for a long time and now they have all the pieces in place.”
“Do you know what they plan to do?”
“Yes, we know what they are planning. We just don’t have all the details yet.”
“What can I do to help you?”
“Actually, I need a ride. I want to check out a warehouse. I’m looking for a hitman and I think he lives there.”
Micah stood. “Then let’s go check out this warehouse.” He dug in his pocket and pulled out a set of truck keys. “My truck may not look like much but it will get us from point A to point B.”
A few minutes later, they pulled over and watched the building on the other side of the street. The building itself seemed old and tired. The windows were blackened out and the paint on the outer walls looked faded. There was little traffic on the street and no one was in sight. The only other vehicle on the street was a dark green sedan.
Micah and Michael sat there watching
the warehouse for a few more minutes. Michael was about to reach for the handle on his door when a small door of the warehouse opened.
The man he knew as Jethro came out of the building. He glanced around but didn’t see Micah’s truck or Micah and Michael sitting there.
They watched as Jethro locked the door behind him and walked down the street to a dark green sedan.
Michael turned to Micah. “I want you to follow that guy. Try not to be obvious but don’t lose sight of him. I just need you to do is find out where he goes. Call me in half an hour. Don’t try to take him down on your own. All I need to know is where he’s going.”
Michael waited until Jethro started his car to get out of the truck. When he saw Micah take off after Jethro, he crossed the street and checked out the door Jethro had just come out of. The lock he secured the door with was a common padlock and Michael had no problem unlocking it. The door squeaked loudly as it opened under his hand. As he stepped through the portal, he checked the neighborhood again. Pulling the door shut behind him, he paused as his eyes adjusted to the dimness of the interior.
The main floor of the warehouse was an open design. Steel pillars held up the second floor. The windows were smeared with something to block out the light and to obscure anyone from peeking inside. There was some furniture but whatever it was, was covered by oversized tarps. The tarps were covered in dust.
Michael began searching the lower level by keeping his back to the outside of the room. His gun was drawn as he searched the room. When he came to a door, he tried the handle and when it turned under his hand, he ducked quietly into a second room. This room seemed tidy and clean. He saw a table with a computer set up and a phone/fax machine. He also noted another door on the other side of the room. Carefully making his way to the other door, he opened it.
His eyes moved swiftly over the room but didn’t find anything out of order. The room was small, possibly eight feet by twelve feet. There was a long counter along one side of the room. He put a call in to Kenn and explained where he was.
“I’ve been waiting for you. We brought in Jasmine but she isn’t talking,” Kenn updated him.